There are many descriptions of clever wild animals that use “tools” such as sticks or stones to secure food or to achieve some other purpose. Many of us have, for example, seen video of an elephant pulling a branch off a tree and using it to keep insects away or to scratch an itchy spot on its flank. There are also examples of sea otters using stones to open shells and apes doing the same to break open edible nuts. And who hasn’t seen footage of chimpanzees using sticks to reach inside a mound and “fish” for tasty termites?

But, such “in the moment” uses of tools do not really capture the extraordinary and often surprising abilities of some animals to think ahead and use tools in innovative ways.

Nutcrackers, Alarms, Depth Testers, Floss, Nose Guards and More

Crows offer one such example. They have made a clever adaptation to modern society through the use of automobiles. While they surely don’t drive, they have figured out that the crushing weight of a car or truck can crack walnuts and other delicacies. Crows will place their prospective treats on the road and wait for a passing vehicle. They know exactly where the wheels are most likely to fall on the roadway!

Crows, considered by many to be among the brightest of creatures, have also been seen dropping stones into a water pitcher with a narrow neck in order to raise the water level sufficiently to take a drink.

Orangutans have made an adaptation that uses leaves to ward off predators. They don’t shake the leaves at the menace but, instead, make “whistles” from the leaves that make a shrill sound in an effort to scare the threat away.

As a safety measure, gorillas and other apes will approach a body of water with a stick specifically selected to test the depth of the water they would like to cross. They don’t swim so the stick becomes an important survival tool.

In Thailand, macaques (small apes) will use their stealth to pluck hair from the heads of tourists and others and use it to floss their teeth. Adult macaques have been seen applying this tooth cleaning method in elaborate slow motion as a way to teach this dental care to juveniles.

Herons use small shiny fish as lures, credit Jorja Feldman

Some herons use lures (a small shiny fish) to attract larger fish to within striking distance, and octopi have been seen tearing the poison tentacles from a nearby jelly fish and brandishing it as a weapon when faced with attack.

Dolphins, often considered to be one of the most intelligent of all mammals have been seen pulling off pieces of sponge, wrapping it around their beaks and then using to forage along a sandy sea bottom for food. The sponge protects their beaks from irritations and abrasions.

Perhaps the most elaborate “tool” user is the bowerbird of Australia. It collects shiny objects such as bottle caps and pieces of glass to make an elaborate (and wholly attractive) nest that will lure a mate. Many days will go into the preparation of the nest and only the finest shiny items will be selected.

These insights into how wild creatures innovate and think ahead can help us all to appreciate their extraordinary lives and abilities.

]]>http://blog.nwf.org/2012/03/8-wild-creatures-that-use-tools-in-extraordinary-ways/feed/5The 12 Most Dramatic, Disturbing and Inspiring Wildlife Stories of 2010http://blog.nwf.org/2011/11/the-12-most-dramatic-disturbing-and-inspiring-wildlife-stories-of-2010-2/
http://blog.nwf.org/2011/11/the-12-most-dramatic-disturbing-and-inspiring-wildlife-stories-of-2010-2/#respondFri, 18 Nov 2011 22:31:20 +0000http://blog.nwf.org/wildlifepromise/?p=10486There were thousands of wildlife stories in the news over the past year but some stand out as being particularly dramatic, sobering or even inspiring.

The great Gulf turtle rescue: in April we saw the beginning of the BP oil disaster in the Gulf. By the time it was contained, more than 200 million gallons of oil had poured out and coated hundreds of square miles of water. The toll on wildlife of all sizes was profound as evidenced from these National Wildlife Federation maps: http://bit.ly/gv159v Certainly on of the most inspiring events around the Gulf was the relocation of thousands of see turtle hatchings from the sands of Gulf beaches to the sands of the Atlantic. Read more: http://ind.pn/aD82MP

The amazing Census of Marine Life: the Census was released in 2010. It is a collaboration among 80 nations over 10 years. Thousands of new species were discovered and cataloged. Take a look at the gallery of unbelievable and brilliant deep sea life: http://bit.ly/hkyJpj

The sad tale of little brown bats: a devastating bat plague called white nose syndrome still stymies animal researchers as millions of bats have succumbed to a fungal attack that restricts their ability breathe. Bat caves in the East have been closed to visitors and there are signs the plague is moving to the West: http://bit.ly/a5i1T9

Moving tigers from the brink of extinction: In the past few decades the number of wild tigers shrunk from 100,000 animals to some 3,000. A recent international conference hosted in Russia came out with a plan to double their numbers. http://bit.ly/gXOIZ5 Actor Leonardo DiCaprio personally made a $1 million gift to help jump-start the plan’s implementation.

The Loss of a U.S. wildlife hero: In 2010 we saw the untimely death of Sam Hamilton (54) the director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Sam was a respected 30-year professional dedicated to species protection. http://wapo.st/dEpzZ0

Discovery of 1,200 new Amazon species: Our colleagues at the World Wildlife Fund demonstrated to people everywhere how much there is to learn about our natural world when they released their report on the discovery of over one thousands new species in the Amazon over a decade of study: http://bit.ly/cWnBFH

Wolf protection debate in the Northern Rockies: The Department of the Interior and the States of Idaho, Montana and Wyoming have been in extensive discussions in a heated political setting over whether wolves in the northern Rockies merit endangered species protection: http://bit.ly/iangkb

The continuing struggle against illegal wildlife trade: the battle continued in 2010 to cut down on wildlife poaching and trade in endangered animals. There were increases in the number of apprehensions and arrests but, as the smugglers become more devious and the poachers become more aggressive, the overall signs are not good. Wildlife smuggling seems to be on the rise and is an international black market rivaling illegal drug imports. http://bit.ly/hauD9j

Polar Bears Polar stuck on shore: This year polar bears in the arctic region were delayed several weeks from making their winter trip out onto the Arctic Sea ice for their annual seal hunting. Warm weather caused to ice to be late forming and bears were stuck on land emaciated and suffering: http://bit.ly/cCeHhB

Walrus mass exodus to land: a Alaskan exodus of 10,000 to 20,000 walruses to land was an unusual event that also reflects the loss of sea ice in the arctic. This mass exodus was a new one on the Chukchi sea coast and wildlife experts see it as a sign of global climate change: http://bit.ly/aTmljY

Japanese whale hunt in the Antarctic whale sanctuary: as summer begins in the southern hemisphere, Japanese whalers and environmentalists are converging again in Antarctic waters for another stand-off and possible battle over their strong differences concerning the legality of whaling in the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary. http://bit.ly/et6pzK

Mountain gorillas making a comeback: Ending on a more promising note, thirty years ago the mountain gorilla population was down to 250. This year 782 were counted between two locations. http://aol.it/h7A1IxDo you want to help conserve wildlife and wild places? NWF has just launched a new online portal called “Choose Your Cause.” Just click on the cause you care about most and enjoy inspiring stories from folks on the ground who are working tirelessly to protect the wildlife and wild places we all love.

]]>http://blog.nwf.org/2011/11/the-12-most-dramatic-disturbing-and-inspiring-wildlife-stories-of-2010-2/feed/0President’s Day: How Animals Leadhttp://blog.nwf.org/2011/02/presidents-day-how-animals-lead/
http://blog.nwf.org/2011/02/presidents-day-how-animals-lead/#respondWed, 16 Feb 2011 19:44:28 +0000http://blog.nwf.org/wildlifepromise/?p=13835President’s Day weekend was set aside to honor the memory of our first president, George Washington, celebrating his skillful leadership at the dawn of our history as a nation.

Leadership and hierarchies seem to come naturally to humans, helping to keep society in order, but what of other species? Do they have leaders? How do they organize their social lives? Does a gorilla want a strong central government? Does a bear?

Let’s take a look at few wild systems of government and social control:

Members of a wolf pack prowl the Lamar Valley in Yellowstone National Park

Gray Wolves

Gray wolves live in packs of five to fifteen animals, though sometimes much larger depending on the abundance and size of prey. Packs usually are dominated by an alpha (top) male and female, which generally mate for life and are more likely than other wolves in the pack to raise young successfully, initiate hunts and eat the best food. Each pack usually has an omega wolf—the last one in the hierarchy—which has to kowtow to all others.

Bears

Their motto seems to be, “I don’t lead, and I don’t follow.” Adult bears tend to be solitary, except for females with cubs and during the brief mating season. Males will kill and eat cubs as they would any other living tidbit that suited their taste buds, which may help explain why mother bears often have hair-trigger tempers—they have to be willing to fight fiercely or risk losing their babies. Mothers lead their cubs to such things as food and water and to trees that the cubs can climb to avoid, for example, a hungry dad. Bears establish dominance hierarchies in areas where they feed in groups, as among Alaskan brown bears at seasonal salmon streams, and doubtless establish dominance in defending their territories.

African Elephants

A male, or bull, usually leaves the herd into which he was born during his teen years. He herds with other young males and, as he matures, joins them in shoving matches that help establish rank. Older, mature bulls may be solitary, hooking up with female herds only for mating. The real social life is among the females, which tend to remain in the herd in which they were born and to help raise one another’s young. The leader of such a herd is usually a female with a few decades of experience, capable of taking the frontline in defense of the herd and of leading it to food and water, especially in times of shortage.

Sperm Whales

Not much is known about these denizens of the deep, but their social structure seems much like that of African elephants. Males leave the groups into which they are born, join all-male herds, then return to female herds for mating. Like the elephants, the female herds seem to be made up of animals that grew up together and are led by an older female.

Mountain Gorilla

This species lives in groups of up to 20 individuals that may all be dominated by a single male, which at around 600 pounds is the largest of the apes. Maturing females usually leave the group they were born into and seek new associations where they can find a mate and avoid inbreeding. Males sometimes move off too, and a male may join up with other males or wander alone until he accumulates females and starts his own group. If a dominant male dies, his females will seek to join another group. When a male takes over a group, he may kill the offspring fathered by the previous male, making way for his own young. A dominant male may take the lead in going to feeding and resting areas and in defense, allowing the females to retreat from a threat while he holds the line with roars, chest beating and ground slapping.

African Lion

Once again, females form the social core, staying together in the groups or prides into which they were born. The females are usually related. When males are 2 to 4 years old, they are driven out of the pride and form coalitions, usually of related lions, that wander in search of a pride. When they find one, they may fight the one to three resident males that dominate it, chasing them off or killing them. The next order of business is the killing of all nursing cubs. Getting rid of them puts the females into breeding condition, allowing the newcomers to father their own offspring—until the next group of usurping lions comes along.

Bison

The American buffalo also is rather like the African elephant, with females herding Bison work out who is in charge among the Yellowstone National Park bison herd together with their young and bulls living alone or in male herds. Male calves stay with their mothers until about three years old. Bulls test each other with bellows and head-ramming fights. During breeding season, a bull will collect a harem from which he excludes other breeding bulls. Dominance in bison is age related: males and females born early in the breeding season tend to grow larger earlier, giving them an edge in establishing dominance as they mature.

Ants

More than 12,000 species of ant have been named, with perhaps another 10,000 yet to be found. With that many species, we’re likely to see a wide range of behaviors in ants. But the basic, hill-excavating, colonial ant most of us think of when we think of ants lives in a seemingly regimented but leaderless world. The queen does not really rule—she is a permanent brood hen, popping out eggs. The workers are all females, and nature—that often harsh taskmaster—has assigned different jobs to different workers. Some tend eggs, some feed the larvae, some take care of the queen, some search for food, and so on. Apparently there is no functioning leader—each ant follows its internal program, led primarily by innate impulses or instinct. In effect, the anthill is a world without leaders, and without freedom.

Females Rule in the Animal Kingdom

One might reasonably suspect that if most of the species mentioned here had a President’s Day of their own, the celebrated leaders would be all or almost all females. Males probably would be regarded as something akin to murderous Roman dictators like Nero or Caligula, while female leaders would be remembered for their skill at raising young and leading others to nourishment and safety. Madame President’s Day, as it were.

]]>http://blog.nwf.org/2011/02/presidents-day-how-animals-lead/feed/0The 12 Most Dramatic, Disturbing and Inspiring Wildlife Stories of 2010http://blog.nwf.org/2010/12/the-12-most-dramatic-disturbing-and-inspiring-wildlife-stories-of-2010/
http://blog.nwf.org/2010/12/the-12-most-dramatic-disturbing-and-inspiring-wildlife-stories-of-2010/#commentsTue, 21 Dec 2010 15:16:31 +0000http://blog.nwf.org/wildlifepromise/?p=10489There were thousands of wildlife stories in the news over the past year but some stand out as being particularly dramatic, sobering and even inspiring.

2. The Amazing New Census of Marine Life

The Census was released in 2010. It is a collaboration among 80 nations over 10 years. Thousands of new species were discovered and cataloged. Take a look at the gallery of unbelievable and brilliant deep sea life: http://bit.ly/hkyJpj

3. The Sad Tale of Little Brown Bats

A devastating bat plague called white nose syndrome still stymies animal researchers as millions of bats have succumbed to a fungal attack that restricts their ability breathe. Bat caves in the East have been closed to visitors and there are signs the plague is moving to the West: http://bit.ly/a5i1T9

4. Moving Tigers From the Brink of Extinction

In the past few decades the number of wild tigers shrunk from 100,000 animals to some 3,000. A recent international conference hosted in Russia came out with a plan to double their numbers. http://bit.ly/gXOIZ5 Actor Leonardo DiCaprio personally made a $1 million gift to help jump-start the plan’s implementation.

5. The Loss of a U.S. wildlife hero

In 2010 we saw the untimely death of Sam Hamilton (54) the director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Sam was a respected 30-year professional dedicated to species protection. http://wapo.st/dEpzZ0

6. Discovery of 1,200 New Amazon Species

Our colleagues at the World Wildlife Fund demonstrated to people everywhere how much there is to learn about our natural world when they released their report on the discovery of over one thousands new species in the Amazon via a decade of study: http://bit.ly/cWnBFH

7. Wolf Protection Debate in the Northern Rockies

The Department of the Interior and the States of Idaho, Montana and Wyoming have been in extensive discussions in a quite heated political setting over whether wolves reintroduced to the Northern Rockies in the mid 1990s still merit endangered species protection: http://bit.ly/iangkb

8. The Continuing Struggle Against Illegal Wildlife Trade

The battle continued in 2010 to cut down on wildlife poaching and trade in endangered animals. There were increases in the number of apprehensions and arrests but, as the smugglers become more devious and the poachers become more aggressive, the overall signs are not good. Wildlife smuggling seems to be on the rise and is an international black market rivaling illegal drug imports. http://bit.ly/hauD9j

10. Walrus Exodus Onto Land

A mass Alaskan exodus of 10,000 to 20,000 walruses to land was an highly unusual event this Fall that also reflects the loss of sea ice in the arctic. This mass exodus was a new one on the Chukchi sea coast and wildlife experts see it as a sign of global climate change: http://bit.ly/aTmljY

11. Japanese Whale Hunt in the Antarctic Whale Sanctuary

As summer begins in the southern hemisphere, Japanese whalers and environmentalists are converging again in Antarctic waters for another stand-off and possible battle over their intense differences concerning the legality of whaling in the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary. Both whale and human lives will be on the line: http://bit.ly/et6pzK

12. Mountain Gorillas Making a Comeback

Ending on a more promising note, 30 years ago the mountain gorilla population was down to 250. This year 782 were counted between two locations. http://aol.it/h7A1Ix

Bottom line: Wildlife conservation has unbelievable and daunting challenges ahead but, despite the overwhelming odds there are may glimmers of hope that remind us that staying with the fight to protect species, habitats and stop global warming are more important than ever.

‘Through geo-tracking and GPS, you’ll be able to get information about new births within the family and other information,’ she said, referring to a programme that will launch online next month.

Wildlife officials also plan to install cameras around Uganda’s Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, home to roughly half of the world’s estimated 740 mountain gorillas, one of most endangered species on the planet.” See full article.